Bureau A,
a studio in Geneva, Switzerland, created what looks like a boulder on
the outside, but is actually a cabin with just enough living space for
one. Named "Antoine," the structure, designed to blend in perfectly with
the Swiss Alps where it is now placed, is a nod to the Swiss idea of
observing the Alps from hidden places within them, according to the
design studio. Their site explains,
"The mountains
have the power to call for feelings of fascination and fear at the same
time. Switzerland has a strong tradition of observing the Alps, living
with them, hiding inside them. The awe and the anxiety that this
monumental landscape appeals is reflected in the writings of
Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, one of the most important Swiss writers. His
novel, Derborence, describes the massive rock fall that covered the
pastures of the valley of Lizerne in 1714. Antoine, the main character,
survives seven weeks under the rocks before he manages to reach his
village, and life.
ANTOINE is a tribute to the alpine experience
and to the writer. The small wooden cabin, big enough for the life of
one man, is hidden inside a projected concrete rock. Referring to the
long lasting Swiss tradition of hidden bunkers, the project integrates
the highly urbanized landscape of the Alps. Already described by the
French philosopher Paul Virilio in 1975, military architecture conducted
by principles of camouflage has, for long, fascinated the architects."
The
cabin contains a fireplace, bed, table, stool and window. According to
Bureau A, any inhabitant of the cabin accepts the risk of the shelter
being situated in an area where it's susceptible to rock falls. Not only
is it fit for a Thoreau, but a daredevil Thoreau!
Read more about the cabin and see pictures of the inside at the
Bureau A website.
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